Orote Field

Military consolidation and redundancy. After World War II, the U.S. military developed the larger, more modern Naval Air Station Agana (now the A.B. Won Pat International Airport). NAS Agana's longer runways were better suited for the new generation of larger, heavier, and faster jet aircraft entering service. Operations were consolidated at NAS Agana, rendering Orote Field's role as a primary fixed-wing airfield obsolete. It was not officially 'closed' in the sense of abandonment, but rather downgraded and absorbed into the larger U.S. Naval Base Guam complex for other military uses.

The site of the former Orote Field is an active and controlled-access area within U.S. Naval Base Guam. The original WWII-era runways, while no longer maintained for conventional fixed-wing aircraft, are still visible. The area is now utilized for various military purposes, including:

- **Helicopter Operations:** It serves as a helicopter landing zone, sometimes referred to as Orote Point Helicopter Pad.
- **Military Training:** The open space is used as a drop zone for airborne/parachute training and for various ground-based tactical exercises for the Navy, Marines, and Air Force, including during joint exercises like Cope North.
- **Other Base Functions:** The surrounding Orote Peninsula contains military housing, communications facilities, and recreational areas for military personnel.

Orote Field holds significant military history, particularly from World War II.

1. **Japanese Construction:** The airfield was originally constructed by the Imperial Japanese Navy during their occupation of Guam (1941-1944). It was a key strategic asset for Japanese air power in the Mariana Islands.

2. **Battle of Guam (1944):** The recapture of the Orote Peninsula and its airfield was a primary objective for U.S. forces during the 1944 Battle of Guam. The fight for the peninsula, waged by the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade against heavily fortified Japanese defenders, was one of the most intense and bloody phases of the island's liberation, resulting in thousands of casualties on both sides.

3. **U.S. Wartime Operations:** After its capture on July 29, 1944, U.S. Navy Seabees (Naval Construction Battalions) immediately began repairing and expanding the airfield. It was quickly put into service as a major U.S. naval air base. It hosted numerous Navy and Marine Corps squadrons operating aircraft such as the PB4Y-1 Liberator and PB4Y-2 Privateer patrol bombers, F6F Hellcat fighters, and TBM Avenger torpedo bombers. These units conducted critical anti-submarine patrols, reconnaissance missions, and air strikes against remaining Japanese-held islands, playing a vital role in the final year of the Pacific War.

There are no plans or prospects for reopening Orote Field as a public or full-service military airport. The site is an integral and active component of U.S. Naval Base Guam, a strategically vital military installation. Its current function as a training area and helicopter landing zone fulfills the modern needs of the Department of Defense. Reopening it for fixed-wing aviation is not feasible due to its current use, its proximity to other critical base infrastructure, and the superior capabilities of nearby Andersen Air Force Base and A.B. Won Pat International Airport for handling air traffic.